FitSugar

Blood Sausage: Love It or Hate It?

YumSugar — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 04:00:31 PDT

One of the many trends at this year's Food & Wine Classic was blood sausage, which I spotted everywhere with its inky, dark color, especially at Cochon 555's Grand Cochon. We love the sausage's distinct mellow, earthy-sweet taste, which it takes on when the meat is mixed in with blood. Although it's popular in German, French, English, and Spanish cultures, blood sausage still hasn't fully caught on in the States because of its gory association. How do you feel about it?

Holiday Donation Idea: Blood

FitSugar — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 03:00:51 PST

Over the Summer I read about a surprising side affect of the recession: blood drive donations were down. Fewer employees hiding out in cubicles translated to fewer arms available to give blood. Blood banks around the nation suffered a second blow this Fall due to swine flu outbreaks, when many blood drives at schools as well as businesses were canceled due to a high volume of absenteeism credited to the H1N1 virus.

In light of the dwindling blood supply, why not give a charitable gift this year that truly keeps on giving. You can donate blood. Think of it as an altruistic twist on the vampire phenomenon sweeping the nation. Not sure what to expect? Here are a few details on giving blood for the first time.

Body Knowledge: Red Blood, Blue Veins?

FitSugar — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 03:00:18 PDT

There is a common misconception among kids that blood, as it courses through our veins on its return trip back to the heart, is blue.

When you look at your arms you see blue veins, but this is a trick of light, or rather a problem with wavelengths. According to Live Science, the blue waves of light are not absorbed by your skin, unlike red light waves, so blue is the color you see because it bounces back.

So what does happen to your blood as it moves about your body? Learn the details by reading more.

Have Your Dogs Given Blood?

PetSugar — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 08:00:31 PDT

While not something that all pet owners utilize (or even know about), animal blood banks are key for furry families' emergency surgeries and other procedures as a result of accidents and illnesses.

Without generous donors - like Jackson here - veterinary surgeons couldn't do their lifesaving work. Seen here is Eastern Veterinary Blood Bank in Severna Park, MD, where Dr. Ann Schneider and veterinary assistant Dave Anderson soothe the pooch as the fluid is collected. Have any of your pets donated blood, or used blood from others?

View 5 Photos ›

You Asked: Why Does the Sight of Blood Make Me Feel Faint?

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 11:00:00 PDT

Dear Fit,
I have always wanted to donate blood, but just looking at blood sometimes makes me feel like I'm going to faint. I break out in a cold sweat and feel woozy. Oddly, it only happens when I see real blood, not onscreen blood in movies (I loved Twilight). What is causing this, and can I do anything about it?
- No Love For Blood

That is definitely a great question, and you are definitely not alone. To see why you swoon,

read more. First of all, be glad you are just feeling faint and not actually fainting, because the same causes are at the root of both responses. Fainting occurs when there is a sudden decrease in the flow of blood to the brain, causing people to feel dizzy, get pale in the face, and pass out. This reaction can be born out of fear or emotional distress as well as a drop in blood pressure. When it comes to seeing red, the faint feelings could be tied to a phenomenon called blood-injury phobia. According to WebMD, this condition evolved as a way for humans to cope with threats:

"The idea is that back in time, when someone was coming at someone else with a sharp stick or rock, a kind of genetic variation allowed certain people to faint in response," explains Tyler C. Ralston, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in Honolulu, who treats people with blood-injury phobias. Warriors who fainted looked dead and were passed over during battle. The blood pressure drop also might have helped those who were wounded avoid bleeding to death. Survivors then passed on the "fainting" gene.

The good news is, this psychological condition can be treated by a therapist, rather than drugs or a medical procedure. WebMD recommends finding a psychologist trained in treating phobias who can help you develop relaxation techniques to fight the faint. Fascinating, right? Source

Do You Know Your Blood Type?

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 04:30:00 PST

Blood is essential to our living, yet I know many people who aren't sure what type of blood is running through their veins. A simple test involving a needle can tell you whether you're a type A, B, AB, or O. If you're a type O, then you're considered a universal donor because anyone can receive type O blood.

I'm type A positive, what about you?

Source

Blood Type and Your Personality

FitSugar — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 04:30:00 PST

We've heard about the school of thought that says blood type should dictate the kinds of foods we should eat, and there's also an idea that blood type defines our personality. A popular presence in Japanese culture, the topic was the subject of four books which were rated among Japan's top 10 bestsellers for the past year.

Much like the way eating for your blood type tells you to eliminate certain foods and eat more of others, the philosophy around blood type and personality says your blood should play a role in the jobs you take and the people you date. Japanese TV offers blood horoscopes, while employers may use blood type in hiring decisions and dating agencies include this information in their profiles.

The Guardian found a few examples of blood type and personality; to find out what your blood type might say about your personality

Casa Quickie: Getting Rid of Evidence

CasaSugar — Sun, 13 Apr 2008 05:38:15 PDT

Accident in the kitchen? Pricked yourself sewing new curtains? You don't have to be an ax murderer to encounter a blood stain in need of removal. Getting blood out of fabric is a piece of cake. The trick is dealing with it as soon as humanly possible. Just pour hydrogen peroxide directly onto the stain, and then rinse it with cold water. Repeat this until the stain disappears, and then launder as usual. How about that for a coverup?
Source

Quote Of The Day

GiggleSugar — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 13:30:00 PDT

If this is the case, then I don't want to know where "our mouth" has been.

Source

STIs Explained: HIV and AIDS

FitSugar — Wed, 27 Jun 2007 02:30:00 PDT

Since today, June 27, is National HIV Testing Day, I thought I could dispel some myths and lay out the facts about HIV and AIDS. It is a serious issue so let's get down to business.

HIV - the human immunodeficiency virus - is a virus that kills your body’s "CD4 cells," (also called T-helper cells), that help your body fight off infection and disease.

HIV can be passed when an infected person's bodily fluids (blood, semen, vaginal fluid, or breast milk) come in contact with an uninfected person's mucous membranes. The HIV virus can be passed during any type of sexual contact - including oral and anal sex. Sharing needles can also transmit HIV from one user to another. HIV-positive mothers can also pass it onto their babies when they are pregnant, when they deliver, or if they breastfeed.

AIDS - the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome - is a disease you get when the HIV virus destroys your body’s immune system. That means that viruses, parasites, fungi and bacteria that usually don't cause any problems can make you very sick since your immune system is damaged.

To prevent HIV and other STIs in the first place abstaining from sexual contact is your best bet, but the likelihood that happening is rare. So always use a latex or polyurethane condom when having sex. Or better yet, have you and your partner get tested before you get intimate.

Fit's Tips: Many people who have HIV do not show symptoms for many years, so the best thing to do is get tested just to make sure.

Want to know more about HIV and AIDS? Then

STI	Symptoms	How do you test for it?	Treatment
HIV and AIDS	rapid weight loss dry cough extreme fatigue swollen lymph glands in the armpits, groin, or neck diarrhea that lasts more than a week white spots or unusual blemishes on the tongue, in the mouth, or in the throat red, brown, pink, or purplish blotches on or under the skin or inside the mouth, nose, or eyelids memory loss, depression, and other neurological disorders pneumonia	Anonymous HIV testing is available in many places and it's usually free You can have a blood test, or a simple oral test that checks for HIV antibodies. People who have HIV antibodies are called HIV-positive.	There are treatments to help HIV symptoms, but there is no known cure yet

Source and Source